WEBVTT
NOW WITH EXCLUSIVE REACTION FROM
COUPLE TONIGHT.
REPORTER: NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE
UP.
THE MORGANS TOOK WINSTON
CHURCHILL'S WORDS TO HEART.
THEY FOUGHT FOR NEARLY A YEAR,
AND LESS THAN 24 HOURS AGO THEY
LEARNED THE ARMY REVERSED ITS
DECISION AND WILL PAY ALL THE
BILLS.
CAPTAIN SHANE MORGAN WAS ACTIVE
DUTY FOR NEARLY A DECADE, HE
DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN AND
CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A
RESERVIST.
BUT WHEN HE NEARLY DIED LAST
NOVEMBER 5 AT FORT DEVENS DURING
A MANDATED PUSHUP TEST THE ARMY
SAID HITS CONDITION WAS NOT A
LINE OF DUTY INJURY SO THEY
WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE MEDICAL
BILLS.
THE MORGANS WERE STUNNED, BURIED
UNDER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN
BILLS.
BUT THEY APPEALED, THEY
CONTACTED THEIR STATE REPS AND
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILED THEY WENT
TO THE MEDIA AND TOOK THEIR
STORY PUBLIC OF THEY BELIEVE
THAT MAY ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
>> IT WAS A HUGE WEIGHT OFF OF
OUR SHOULDERS, AND IT ALLOWS US
TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN OUR
JOURNEY WHICH IS NOW TO FOCUS ON
FIXING THE PROCESS SO THAT OTHER
SOLDIERS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH
THIS PROCESS DON'T HAVE TO SPEND
A YEAR OR MORE WAITING FOR AN
ANSWER.
>> IT WAS AMAZING TO GET THAT
NEWS LAS NIGHT.
REPORTER: WEIGHT LIFTED?
>> COMPLETELY.
REPORTER: THE MORGANS WANT TO
DRAW A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN
THE ARMY AND UNIT.
THEY SAY THEIR UNIT WAS
INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE THROUGHOUT
HAD THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, THEY
PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK STAFF
SERGEANT BASSARO.
THE ARMY TOLD THE MORGANS THE

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Army to cover medical bills for reservist from Milford who suffered heart attack

The U.S. Army will cover all medical expenses for an Army Reserve officer from Milford after he nearly died a year ago during a physical fitness test.
Capt. Shane Morgan suffered a heart attack during an Army-mandated annual physical fitness test on Nov. 5, 2015, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The father of two served nine months in Afghanistan and was transitioning from 10 years on active duty to the reserves when he had the heart attack.
After six months, the Army said the heart attack "may have occurred on or off duty." Meanwhile, tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills piled up for the family.
Fed up, Morgan and his wife Jaime went public with their story. In October, the Army issued a new memo saying that the case was going to get a second look.
The couple said they learned of the Army’s decision at 7 p.m. Tuesday, less than two weeks after WMUR’s report about his predicament first aired. Jaime Morgan credited media coverage with getting the case a second, expedited review.
"It was amazing to get that news last night ," she said.
"It was a huge weight off of our shoulders, and it allows us to take the next step in our journey, which is to focus on fixing the process so that other soldiers going through this process don’t have to spend a year or more waiting for an answer," Shane Morgan said.
The Army told the Morgans that the line-of-duty process is now under review.
The Morgans said they want to draw a clear distinction between the Army and their unit. They said the unit, especially Staff Sgt. Kristen Maseiro, has been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout the entire process.

MILFORD, N.H. —

The U.S. Army will cover all medical expenses for an Army Reserve officer from Milford after he nearly died a year ago during a physical fitness test.

Capt. Shane Morgan suffered a heart attack during an Army-mandated annual physical fitness test on Nov. 5, 2015, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The father of two served nine months in Afghanistan and was transitioning from 10 years on active duty to the reserves when he had the heart attack.

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After six months, the Army said the heart attack "may have occurred on or off duty." Meanwhile, tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills piled up for the family.

Fed up, Morgan and his wife Jaime went public with their story. In October, the Army issued a new memo saying that the case was going to get a second look.

The couple said they learned of the Army’s decision at 7 p.m. Tuesday, less than two weeks after WMUR’s report about his predicament first aired. Jaime Morgan credited media coverage with getting the case a second, expedited review.

"It was amazing to get that news last night ," she said.

"It was a huge weight off of our shoulders, and it allows us to take the next step in our journey, which is to focus on fixing the process so that other soldiers going through this process don’t have to spend a year or more waiting for an answer," Shane Morgan said.

The Army told the Morgans that the line-of-duty process is now under review.

The Morgans said they want to draw a clear distinction between the Army and their unit. They said the unit, especially Staff Sgt. Kristen Maseiro, has been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout the entire process.